Avoiding Burnout from Remote Work

It has been two years since COVID-19 introduced many to remote work and school for the first time. Many are still working remotely or have adopted hybrid schedules that split their work between the office and home. None of us were really prepared for this shift, but thanks to new technologies and human adaptability, it’s working out well for many employers and employees. Surveys have shown that 80% of employees want to work from home at least some of the time. While remote work can seem like a perk at first, burnout can happen no matter where your office is located.

WFH Challenges

Burnout can stem from the feeling that, when your work and your home are the same place, you can’t get away from work (or home!). My work space is in my bedroom, so neither world is ever completely out of sight for me. Many of the symptoms of work from home burnout involve threats that appear in both places:

• Spending too much time in front of a screen
• Doing too many tasks at once
• Not pausing to take time for yourself

Three tactics to ease burnout

Invite nature into your day

About 9 months ago, I moved my desk to a different window in my bedroom. I can see more trees, birds, and squirrels instead of my previous view of garbage pick-up and Amazon trucks. The nicer view helps to balance out the screen time. I try to get outside every day by walking my son to school or taking a quick trip around the block at lunch. If possible, leave your phone behind. Without the distracting notification sounds, you can really hear the birds chirping, see the trees budding, and soon bulbs blooming. Treat yourself to a brief escape.

The Pomodoro Method

I struggle with distractions no matter where I am. It is challenging to pass the sink full of dishes, the overflowing baskets of laundry. The simple act of tending to a parched plant can seem delightful and restorative when balanced with tasks that are characterized by more abstract ROIs. The Pomodoro Method helps. Essentially, it involves monotasking 25-minute chunks of work with five-minute breaks. These five-minute breaks should be activities totally unrelated to the task at hand. It helps to break work down into manageable chunks. Seeing a task all the way through and crossing it off the list in an exaggerated, self-congratulatory manner boosts my mood every time. And… my 25-minute alarm just went off!

Eat lunch

A real lunch, using a plate and not standing over the sink or with a paper towel at your desk, is another simple pleasure we may have left at the other office. Not surprisingly, women (67%) are far more likely to skip lunch breaks than men (33%). When women do take a break, they are 22% more likely to do household chores. I choose to sit with a sink full of dishes behind me and celebrate having made it to the kitchen without tripping over the exploding laundry basket. If possible, leave your phone on your desk while you eat. Oops! Mine fell under the laundry pile. When you return to work, you will feel reenergized and refocused.

How’s WFH working for you? Let me know what you see on your walk, what you ate for lunch, or share your suggestions to avoid burnout!